Shipping rack

ABSTRACT

A shipping rack is provided which includes two opposed rectangular rigid wall sections which are spaced by at least four beam members extending between the wall sections with the ends of the beams detachably secured to the corners of the sections. Each of the wall sections has a slot-shaped collar therein extending from one edge to the center of the section for receiving the ends of a coil roll. The rack may be secured by means of metal bands which hold the beam members in place and which can be removed for disassembly of the rack for return shipment and reuse of the wall sections.

[ 1 Mar. 12, 1974 1 SHIPPING RACK [75] inventor: Dennis S. Piggott, Upper St. Clair Twp., Allegheny County, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Aug. 6, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 169,655

[52] US. Cl 217/36, 206/52 R, 217/13, 217/45, 217/66, 220/4 F [51] Int. Cl 865d 9/06 [58] Field of Search 217/36, 42 A, 12 R, 13, 217/43, 45, 66, 69; 206/52 R, 58; 220/4 F [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,677,515 7/1928 Durand 206/52 R 2,598,800 6/1952 Kopper 220/4 F 870,122 11/1907 Perkins 217/66 1,636,458 7/1927 Cheney 217/66 1,884,062 10/1932 McSweeney 217/12 R 3,414,152 12/1968 Overton 217/66 3,485,351 12/1969 Nixon 217/66 1,015,683 1/1912 Jensen 217/36 629,235 7/1899 Canale 217/36 3,472,363 10/1969 Austin, Jr. et a1. 206/52 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 836,701 6/1960 Great Britain 206/46 M 345,200 3/1931 Great Britain .1 206/52 R Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus Attorney, Agent, or FirmDavid W. Brownlee 5 7] ABSTRACT A shipping rack is provided which includes two opposed rectangular rigid wall sections which are spaced by at least four beam members extending between the wall sections with the ends of the beams detachably secured to the corners of the sections. Each of the wall sections has a slot-shaped collar therein extending from one edge to the center of the section for receiving the ends of a coil roll. The rack may be secured by means of metal bands which hold the beam members in place and which can be removed for disassembly of the rack for return shipment and reuse of the wall sections 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIED MR 12 I974 SBEEIIGFZ FIG.

PAIENTED MR 1 2 i974 SHEET 2 0F 2 FIG. 5.

SHIPPING RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In shipping coils of material such as coils of metal foil, the coils are preferably mounted on racks or the like which support the coils off the ground and which space the coils from one another to protect them from accidental damage. One form of rack which is in common use comprises two rectangular wall sections which may be secured on the ends of the center rod or roll extending through the coil. These wall sections are usually square and have transverse dimensions which are greater than the diameter of the coil so that the coil will be supported by the wall sections. The wall sections may also be mounted on pallets and secured thereon by means of metal tapes or bands for shipment of the coils. When the coils reach their destination, the wall sections may be removed from the ends of the coil and returned to their original source for reuse. Although the known shipping racks have functioned well, they have been subject to some disadvantages in that they have not always been as sturdy and durable as is required for the severe abuse that they receive in shipment, and

have not been well suited for shipment of a variety of coil sizes. Further, the coil racks which have been previously known have sometimes not been easily disassembled and returned to the original source at a low cost. A shipping rack is therefore desired which is sturdy, which can handle a variety of coil dimensions, and which can be easily and quickly disassembled for return shipment to the place of origin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a shipping rack which is assembled from two rectangular-shaped wall sections, each of which has a slot-shaped collar therein extending from one edge to the center of the section, and from at least four beam members which extend between the wall sections to space them for receiving a coil. The ends of the beams may be detachably secured to the corners-of the sections to provide a rigid rack which can be quickly and easily disassembled after use for return shipment and reuse of the wall sections. The beam members may or may not be returned for reuse. A coil can be lowered into such a shipping rack with the ends of the rod through the coil fitting into the slot-shaped collar and secured therein by means of pins or the like.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved shipping rack which protects a coil from damage and which can be easily disassembled and returned for reuse of the major components of the rack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipping rack which includes two rigid rectangular metal wall sections which support the ends of the coil and which are spaced by means of at least four beam sections detachably secured to the corners of the wall sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shipping rack which can receive coils of varying dimen- SlOl'lS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated with reference to the following description and the drawings appended thereto wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the components of a rack of the invention in position for assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an assembled rack of the invention with a coil in position to be lowered into the rack;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one end section of the assembled rack with the end of a coil positioned and retained therein;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an assembled rack of the invention with a top and sides strapped thereon;

and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of three assembled racks of the invention stacked in a vertical column.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, a shipping rack of the invention is illustrated as it is assembled from its component parts, loaded with a coil, secured with metal bands and stacked in a column of three. In accordance with the invention, a shipping rack is fabricated from a combination of metal, wood and/or plastic components, some of which are particularly designed for repeated use and some of which may be quickly cut from stock materials and which may or may not be reused. The reusable components are usually made of metal or plastic and have a great enough value to make it practical to use them repeatedly. The remaining components may be made of wood or the like and may not be worth the cost of return shipment for reuse.

FIG. I shows the component parts of a shipping rack of the invention in position for assembly. As illustrated, a shipping rack which is generally designated by the numeral 10 (FIG. 2) comprises two end wall sections 12 which are preferably made of aluminum, steel or plastic, four beam members 14 which are preferably made of wood or pressed wood, two side walls 16 and a bottom wall 17. End wall sections 12 are preferably rectangular and may be formed from one or more steel sheets 18 with two vertical side rail members 20, a base rail member 22, a horizontal rail 24 and two top rails 26 on either side of a U-shaped collar rail 28, all of which are preferably welded together. In order to give end wall sections 12 sufficient strength to resist damage during handling, all of the members in the end wall sections are preferably formed from steel sheets which are at least one-eighth inch, and preferably one-fourth inch thick. Further, the rail members in wall sections 22 are all preferably at least two and one-half inches wide in order to give the end wall sections adequate strength, but may be of varying widths depending upon the weight of the material which is to be transported in the shipping rack. If desired, the base rail member may be wider than the other rail members to provide relatively large support area for conveyor transporting of a shipping rack.

End wall sections 12 further have four holes 30 cut in steel sheets 18 for receiving the ends of beam members 14. Two of the holes 30 are located in the top corners of end wall sections 12 with the other two holes being located with their bottom edge approximately three inches above the bottom of the end wall sections along opposite sides thereof. With beam members 14 which are formed from rectangular members such as wood two-by-fours or two-by-sixes, holes 30 may be rectangular in configuration with the long dimension in the vertical direction. it would be obvious to one skilled in the art that with the members 14 of different shapes, holes 30 could be provided with corresponding shapes. The two lower holes 30 in end wall sections 12 are located above the bottom of the end wall section in order to provide clearance under the beam members between the end wall sections so that the fork of a fork lift truck can pass under the beam members for the rack to be transported by such a fork lift truck. If other transportation means is used, it would be obvious that greater or lesser clearances may be desired for a shipping rack of the invention. 1

L-shaped retaining members 32 may be provided on end wall sections l2 over each of the holes in such end wall sections in order to restrain beam members 14 from sliding lengthwise through the holes. Retaining members 32 may be welded on steel sheets 18 and extend outwardly from'the sheet members, with the vertical leg of the upper two retaining members projecting upward, and the vertical leg of the lower two retaining members projecting downward as illustrated. This orientation of the vertical leg of the retaining members facilitates the securement of a metal strap or band over the beam members l4 and retaining members 32 of end wall sections 12 as illustrated in PEG. 2.

U-shaped collar rail 28 may be of various widths, although preferably approximately 5 inches wide, in order to accommodate the ends of coils of various sizes up to five inches in diameter. Collar rail 28 also preferably has at least two sets of holes 34 in opposite sides thereof adjacent the bottom of the collar for receiving a pin 36 which prevents the end of a coil from being accidentally lifted or bounced upwardly in a U-shaped collar rail 28. By providing at least two sets of such holes 34 in opposite sides of collar rail 28, a pin 36 can be positioned so that it more securely restrains the end of the coils which may have various sized center shafts therein.

End wall sections 12 may further have stacking guides 38 welded thereto on opposite sides of U-shaped collar rail 28. Stacking guides 38 may be of a variety of configurations, with those selected for illustration being a plate of metal with a transverse horizontal bend therein. Stacking guides 38 may angle slightly outwardly from a rack to facilitate positioning of a second shipping rack on top of a first shipping rack. Stacking guides 38 are intended to guide the upper shipping rack so that it seats squarely on top rails 26 of a lower rack, and retains the upper rack on the lower rack so that it will not become dislodged therefrom.

Referring to FlG. 2, assembled shipping rack it) is illustrated with metal bands dill secured around top and bottom beam members lid on opposite sides of the ship ping rack. Bands are positioned around beam member 14 and are tightened in place and their ends are connected by means of conventional banding devices. As secured, shipping rack forms a rigid compartment for receiving a coil 42. The assembled rack cannot be disassembled except by cutting bands which are secured around beam members 14. Side walls to may be secured on shipping rack 10 by conventional means such as staples or nails and provide additional protection for a coil contained in the rack. Since the bottom wall 17 of the rack may not be readily accessible, the bottom side wall may, as illustrated in FIG. 1, be secured to the two lower beam members ll ll prior to assembly of the shipping rack. Coil 42 is positioned in the shipping rack from the top as illustrated. A top side wall 19 (FIG. 4) may be secured on shipping rack 10 after coil 42 has been positioned in rack 10.

After a coil 42 has been lowered into shipping rack 10 with the ends of the coil seated in U-shaped collar rail 28 in each of the end wall sections 12, pins 36 are positioned in one set of holes .34 in the collar rail so that the end of the coil is retained in the collar rail. A hitch pin 44 may then be positioned in the end of each pin 36 so that such pins 36 do not become accidentally dislodged from the collar rails 28. The top side wall member can then be positioned over shipping rack 10, and additional fastening bands 46 can be secured around the girth of the shipping rack on both ends thereof as illustrated in H6. 4. The shipping rack is now a completely sealed unit which can be easily handled by means of a fork lift truck or the like.

H6. 5 illustrates three shipping racks it} in a column stacked on top of one another. Columns or stacks of racks form a very stable unit when the racks are constructed in accordance with the invention. Shipping racks ll of the invention may also be conveniently positioned in a truck or a box car for transporation.

When a shipping rack with a coil therein reaches its destination, it is a simple matter to cut the fastening bands around the girth of the rack for removal of the top side wall member so that the coil in the rack can be lifted therefrom by means of an overhead crane or hoist. The shipping rack can then be completely disassembled by cutting the bands around the beam members so that the end wall sections of the racks can be loaded onto a pallet or into another rack for return to the plant for reuse. Since the end wall sections are rectangular and have no projecting part, they can be easily stacked or bundled for such return.

it is therefore seen that an improved shipping rack has been illustrated and described which comprises two fabricated end wall sections which are adapted for reuse, and a plurality of beam and side wall sections which can be quickly and easily cut from conventional materials. The end wall sections of the shipping rack are sturdy and resist damage to themselves and to a coil carried by the end wall sections. Although a preferred embodiment of a shipping rack has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that numerous variations can be made in the shipping rack without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

ll. A shipping rack comprising two opposed upright rectangular rigid end wall sections, each of which has a slot-shaped collar therein extending from one edge thereof to the center of the wall section for receiving the ends of a coil roll therein and a hole through each of the four corners of each end wall section, a retaining member for each of the holes in the end wall sections secured to the sections in outwardly spaced relation therewith, four beam members extending horizontally between said end wall sections with the ends of the beam members in the holes in the end wall sections, and metal bands disposed around pairs of said beam members, over the retaining members therefor and across the outer faces of the end wall sections for holding the ends of the beam members in the holes in the end sections pressed against the retaining members to tie said wall sections and said beam members together, whereby such rack can be readily disassembled after use for return shipment and reuse of said wall sections.

2. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 which includes stacking guides secured to the end wall sections for engaging the end wall sections on a second shipping rack and guiding such second rack into vertical alignment with the shipping rack on which the guides are secured.

3. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said retaining members includes a horizontal leg welded to an end wall section and a vertical leg spaced outwardly from a hole through the end wall section.

4. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 in which said metal bands are disposed around top and bottom beam members on opposite sides of the shipping rack.

5. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 which includes side wall sections for protecting a coil in the rack.

6. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 3 in which each of said metal bands extends around the rectangle formed by two beam members on any one side of the rack, through the holes in the wall sections in which such beam members are disposed, and across the exterior faces of said opposed wall sections.

7. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 3 in which the horizontal leg of each retaining member adjacent the top of the rack is welded to an end wall section below the hole with which it is associated and the horizontal leg of each retaining member adjacent the bottom of the rack is welded to an end wall section above the hole with which it is associated. 

1. A shipping rack comprising two opposed upright rectangular rigid end wall sections, each of which has a slot-shaped collar therein extending from one edge thereof to the center of the wall section for receiving the ends of a coil roll therein and a hole through each of the four corners of each end wall section, a retaining member for each of the holes in the end wall sections secured to the sections in outwardly spaced relation therewith, four beam members extending horizontally between said end wall sections with the ends of the beam members in the holes in the end wall sections, and metal bands disposed around pairs of said beam members, over the retaining members therefor and across the outer faces of the end wall sections for holding the ends of the beam members in the holes in the end sections pressed against the retaining members to tie said wall sections and said beam members together, whereby such rack can be readily disassembled after use for return shipment and reuse of said wall sections.
 2. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 which includes stacking guides secured to the end wall sections for engaging the end wall sections on a second shipping rack and guiding such second rack into vertical alignment with the shipping rack on which the guides are secured.
 3. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said retaining members includes a horizontal leg welded to an end wall section and a vertical leg spaced outwardly from a hole through the end wall section.
 4. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 in which said metal bands are disposed around top and bottom beam members on opposite sides of the shipping rack.
 5. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 1 which includes side wall sections for protecting a coil in the rack.
 6. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 3 in which each of said metal bands extends around the rectangle formed by two beam members on any one side of the rack, through the holes in the wall sections in which such beam members are dispOsed, and across the exterior faces of said opposed wall sections.
 7. A shipping rack as set forth in claim 3 in which the horizontal leg of each retaining member adjacent the top of the rack is welded to an end wall section below the hole with which it is associated and the horizontal leg of each retaining member adjacent the bottom of the rack is welded to an end wall section above the hole with which it is associated. 